Son Of Hypnos

Both of his career wins came in the summer of 2024 — first at Downpatrick in April, then at Galway in July — and that Galway win now sits 21 months in the past. Since then, he has gone six races without adding to his tally, with a pair of third-place finishes offering the occasional glimpse that the spark has not entirely gone out. His most recent run was just yesterday, so whatever he showed on that occasion is still fresh in the memory of those who watched.

The partnership with jockey James Smith is the most interesting thread in his story. Together they have won 2 of their 12 races — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 6 — which is a far better return than his overall career average suggests. That kind of improvement with one specific rider is not a coincidence; it points to a horse that responds to a jockey who understands him. When Son Of Hypnos runs on normal ground, that same pattern holds: 2 wins from 14 races on standard conditions, meaning he has never won on anything softer or firmer. He is a horse with specific preferences, and when those preferences are met, he becomes a different proposition.

At nine years old and with the calendar turning against him, Son Of Hypnos is unlikely to suddenly transform into a big-race contender. But he is still racing, still placing, and still occasionally giving his the yard a moment to cheer. For a horse who has had to work this hard for every win, that stubbornness alone makes him worth watching.